The present invention relates to an extremely compact zoom lens covering a range from standard to telephoto photographing and having a high zoom ratio of about four and adapted for use with 35 mm SLR cameras.
Zoom lenses covering a relatively narrow range from standard to medium telephoto or from semi-telephoto to telephoto have been widely known and frequently used. A few zoom lenses covering both the above-noted two ranges, that is, from standard to telephoto with zoom ratios of more than about four have been known but such lenses are large in size in comparison with the above noted two kinds of zoom lenses and rather lacking in performance.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a zoom lens covering a zoom range corresponding to the above-described two kinds of zoom lenses and whose configuration is as compact as those of the above-described known lenses.